Talk:Canada Unity

Continuing conversation from the Request Page Protection
Hi @El_C. I think this is the best place to reply to your (now archived) question from here.

You said this diff was concerning. This diff is me reverting someone who added in comments that the group was far right. The editors didn't add any citations, but relied on the existing citation https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/freedom-convoy-chris-barber-power-struggle-1.6636737. I think my revert was correct. While that article does use the world "far right" a few times, it only does so in relation to others. (Pat King (activist) and Christopher John Barber) neither of whom are part of Canada Unity, and elsewhere were noted for falling out with them. King, Barber and Canada Unity were all to varying degrees leading the protests, but somewhat independently. So I think my revert is correct.

Regarding WP:COVIDCT, I wasn't aware of that. What are the implications of this? Are you suggesting I could have requested some protection of this page earlier, or are you saying I should be more careful with my reverting? If it's the former, I think that would be a good idea. If it's the later, then please know I am editing with utmost care, and while it would not surprise me if a source described this group in that way, I don't think the sources support it and am being vary careful to be neutral and fair in this topic area. (talk) 13:02, 25 April 2023 (UTC)


 * , in answer to your question: yes. Especially, you being the creator of this page, it came across as a bit white washy in the great white north, to just stick to the amorphous "group" in the opening, with no added description whatsoever, when "far-right" seems to fit rather well. But maybe I'm missing something and it is, somehow, truly Big tent. Anyway, I'll leave the introductory WP:CTOP alert for you on your talk page for you to review. Cheers! El_C 15:16, 25 April 2023 (UTC)
 * I promise you that I have no white wash agenda here, if there is any philosophy that is guiding my editing here it is more like sunlight on this rather unlikeable group is a good thing, and historical accuracy about the groups that organised the events is necessary and encyclopaedic. My recent edits were to remove content that supported the group's agenda, that edit we're talking was the opposite. I think I'm keeping a neutral eye on this page and I think I was correct to revert the "far right" label based on sources.
 * I doubt this is a big tent group and if I had to bet, far right would be where I'd go, but I don't think sources have said that.
 * I'll review the thing on my talk page, but also am optimistic that all my edits here are policy/guidance aligned and absolutely aren't painting this group, any other, in a favourable manner. If any reliable source calls them far right, I'll add it in as soon as I see it. CT55555 (talk) 15:45, 25 April 2023 (UTC)

The source for the claim about "overthrowing the government" is based on a mistranslation by an editor
This article claims that the group wanted to "overthrow" the Federal government, and quotes a news article in French to support the claim. The issue here is that, and I can confirm as a French-speaker, the term used in French has more than one meaning in English. "Renverser un gouvernement" can, depending on context, mean EITHER "to overthrow a government" (overthrow: violent throwing down of a regime) or "to bring down the government" (an expression that doesn't automatically imply violence). Here is the site for the Larousse dictionary illustrating my point, "renverser un gouvernement" is "overthrow" ONLY when violence is used, but "bring down" when non-violent means are used like with a vote. Indeed, the same media source in 2011 used the SAME expression to describe the defeat of the Conservative government in 2011 by a loss of a motion of confidence. "Les partis de l'opposition ont renversé le gouvernement de Stephen Harper, vendredi." No media in English has ever described the defeat of the Harper government as the opposition "overthrowing" the government.

The choice of the translation by the editor is slanted, and insinuates meaning absent from the French original, namely that the group wanted a violent overthrow of the government rather than asking the dismissal and replacement of the government by the Governor-General.

I suggest that in keeping with the meaning of the French original article, the text should read "bring down the government" and not "overthrow the government". Either that, or find an English-language reliable source that use the word "overthrow" (and if you fail to find such source, maybe there is a reason why). 173.178.144.231 (talk) 22:34, 15 September 2023 (UTC)